2. It is the nature of the
body of Christ that
locked doors are
ultimately more costly
to the survival of the
church than open
doors. There is a high
price to be paid for
fearing the threat of
the Other more than
we fear disappointing
Jesus.
William Willimon, Fear of the
Other: No Fear in Love
3. Call to Worship
L: When our hearts are overwhelmed
by tragedy and violence...
P: The God of peace meets us
where we are.
L: When we wonder why someone
doesn’t do something to help ...
P: Jesus the Christ invites us
to faithful service.
4. L: When our souls are parched
anddying with thirst ...
P: The Holy Spirit offers us
life-giving water!
All: Thanks be to God!
6. Opening Prayer
Loving God, you welcome us
this morning with joy and
peace. Grant us your grace,
that we may welcome others
everywhere as you have
welcomed us. In Jesus’ name,
we pray. Amen.
7. Glory be to the Father
and to the Son
and to the Holy Ghost;
As it was in the
beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
World without end.
Amen. Amen.
8. Psalm 13
How long, O LORD? Will you
forget me forever? How long will
you hide your face from me?
How long must I bear pain in my
soul, and have sorrow in my heart
all day long? How long shall my
enemy be exalted over me?
9. Consider and answer me,
O Lord my God! Give light to my
eyes, or I will sleep the sleep of
death,
and my enemy will say, “I have
prevailed”; my foes will rejoice
because I am shaken.
10. But I trusted in your steadfast
love; my heart shall rejoice in
your salvation.
I will sing to the Lord, because he
has dealt bountifully with me.
21. We need new
eyes for seeing,
new hands for holding on;
renew us with your Spirit;
Lord, free us,
make us one!
#560
22. Matthew 10:40-42 (NIV)
“Anyone who welcomes you
welcomes me, and anyone who
welcomes me welcomes the one
who sent me. Whoever welcomes
a prophet as a prophet will
receive a prophet’s reward, and
whoever welcomes a righteous
person as a righteous person will
23. receive a righteous person’s
reward. And if anyone gives even
a cup of cold water to one of
these little ones who is my
disciple, truly I tell you, that
person will certainly not lose
their reward.”
26. L: The Lord be with you.
P: And also with you.
L: Lift up your hearts.
P: We lift them to the Lord.
L: Let us give thanks to the
Lord our God.
P: It is right to give our
thanks and praise.
27. Leader:
Great and mysterious God
of creation, we do give you
thanks for the wonders of
life, the beauty of the world
we live in, and the deep
and expansive universe
28. of which we are only a
small part.
We thank you that you have
not left us alone in this
world. We are blessed with
the community of others;
we experience your
presence in the love
29. we share, and in
mysterious ways beyond
our abilities to comprehend
or put into words.
We are grateful for the
covenants of grace you
have always offered to your
people. In ages past you
30. sent leaders and prophets
to show us your ways and
guide our paths. When we
failed you did not reject us;
you are a God of second
chances and even more.
You are merciful and
gracious, slow to anger
31. and abounding in steadfast
love. You accept our
repentance and offer us
forgiveness.
When the time was right,
you sent Jesus among us
to demonstrate your love in
new and radical ways.
32. As we gather around this
table to share this meal, we
remember the great extent
of his selfless love and give
you thanks in humility and
awe. We add our voices to
the chorus of history, who
praise you in various ways,
33. in a multitude of languages
and a multitude of songs,
forever singing to the glory
of your name:
34. All People
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God
of power and might, heaven
and earth are full of your
glory. Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in
the name of the Lord!
Hosanna in the highest.
35. Leader:
You are holy, dear God, and
blessed is Jesus Christ, who
came and who comes in your
name.
Born into a humble family, he
challenged the kings and
rulers of his day.
36. Submitting himself to baptism
and temptation, he redefined
what it means to be holy.
Teaching with wisdom and
authority, he helped us
understand you and our world
in new and transforming ways.
37. Healing those who were
broken, he hinted at the
wonders of your new
creation. Eating with
outcasts and sinners, he
showed us how to live with
others.
38. Loving you and loving us
with his entire being, he
demonstrated what it means
to be created in your image
and to see your reflection in
others, whether they be our
friends or our enemies.
39. Suffering humiliation at the
hands of those in power, he
displayed the true power of
weakness.
Rising from the dead, he
proved that nothing is beyond
the power of your redemptive
love.
40. And so we are bold to come
to you in prayer, naming out
loud our joys and our
concerns, our happiness
and our fears. As we come
to share the richness of your
table, we cannot forget the
rawness of the earth.
41. L: We cannot take bread
P: and forget those who
are hungry.
L: We cannot take this cup
P: and forget those who
are thirsty.
42. L: We cannot hear your
words of peace
P: and forget the world
at war.
L: We cannot celebrate a
family feast
P: and forget our
divisions.
43. L: We cannot gather at this
table
P: and forget those who
are suffering.
44. Leader:
So hear now, loving God, the
prayers and petitions of our
hearts.
Gracious and loving God,
infuse this sanctuary with the
presence of your Spirit.
45. Bring us into communion
with Christ as we experience
his presence in this sacred
meal.
May these ordinary elements
of life, this bread and this cup,
be transformed by your
presence into the body
46. and blood of Christ,
nourishing us with spiritual
food, and equipping us to
be the body of Christ in the
world.
Filled with your Spirit, may
we do justice, love
kindness, and walk humbly
47. with you, loving you with our
entire beings, and loving
others as ourselves.
All People:
Amen.
49. Invitation to the Table (Leader):
Friends, this is the joyful
feast of the people of God!
According to the Gospel of
Luke, Jesus walked with two
disciples on the road to
Emmaus, but they did not
recognize him.
50. It was only when he broke
bread with them that they
knew who he was.
Faith and understanding are
not prerequisites to eat at
this table. This table is for
those with much faith, and
those with little;
51. those who have been to this
table often, those who have
not been for a long time, and
those who have never been.
This table is for those who
have tried their best to follow,
and those who have failed.
52. So come, not because we
invite you, but because God
invites you.
We welcome those whom
God welcomes.
56. Praise God, from whom
all blessings flow;
Praise God,
all creatures here below;
Praise God above,
ye heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son,
and Holy Ghost. Amen.
57. Prayer of Thanksgiving
Gracious God, we are grateful that
you compassionately offer your
children an eternal home.
Combine these financial gifts with
our prayers, presence, service and
witness so that we may positively
influence the lives of all others
who seek your love. Amen.
59. I come with joy to meet
my Lord,
forgiven, loved and free,
In awe and wonder to recall
his life laid down for me,
his life laid down for me.
#617
60. I come with Christians
far and near
to find, as all are fed,
the new community of love
in Christ's communion bread,
in Christ's communion bread.
#617
61. As Christ breaks bread,
and bids us share,
each proud division ends.
The love that made us,
makes us one,
andstrangersnowarefriends,
andstrangersnowarefriends.
#617
62. And thus with joy
we meet our Lord.
His presence, always near,
is in such friendship
better known;
we see and praise him here,
we see and praise him here.
#617
63. Together met,
together bound
we'll go our different ways,
andashis people intheworld,
we'll live andspeak hispraise,
we'll live andspeak hispraise.
#617
65. Our Father who art in
heaven, hallowed be
thy name, thy
kingdom come,
thy will be done
on earth as it is in
heaven. Give us this
day our daily bread;
66. and forgive us our
trespasses as we
forgive those who
trespass against us.
And lead us not into
temptation, but
deliver us from evil,
67. for thine is the
kingdom, the power,
and the glory forever.
Amen.
68. God be with you
till we meet again;
By his counsels
guide, uphold you,
With his sheep
securely fold you;
God be with you till
we meet again.
